What Ramses II’s Newly Found Statue Remains Reveal

What did archaeologists find?

The discovery began when farmer Khaled al-Shahat came across a pink stone while working on his land in Behbeit El-Hagar, in Egypt’s Nile Delta. The stone appeared to carry hieroglyphic writing. He contacted authorities, and archaeologists later excavated the site. ²

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that the team had uncovered remains of two colossal statues. Archaeologists have identified one as Ramses II. The second is also thought to depict the pharaoh, but that identification is less certain. ¹²³

Among the finds was a stone head about five feet tall, along with part of the upper back pillar of a statue. These are fragments, not complete sculptures. The discovery report does not establish that both statues have been fully recovered. ²

How tall was the Ramses II statue?

Based on the size of the recovered head, officials estimate that the complete statue may have stood nearly 28 feet tall, including its base. That is an estimate, not a measured height: the statue is incomplete, and its full form has not been found. ¹²

The distinction matters. The surviving head gives archaeologists a basis for estimating scale, but it cannot by itself show every detail of the statue or how it was positioned. The reports describe remains of a second statue as well, but do not give a comparable height estimate for it. ¹²

What do the crown and inscription tell us?

The recovered head shows Ramses II wearing a double crown, a royal headpiece that symbolized authority over Upper and Lower Egypt. The upper part of the statue’s back pillar also carries his formal royal title, reported as “Hor Ka Nakht Mery Maat.” Together, these details support the identification of the statue as Ramses II. ²

An inscription can help connect a monument to a ruler. Here, the title is evidence tied to the statue itself, rather than only to the place where it was found. Still, the reports do not give a full translation or wider interpretation of the inscription, so it would be premature to draw more specific conclusions from it. ²

Why might the discovery matter?

The scale of the statue suggests that the site may have been connected to a substantial royal building or monument. Smithsonian Magazine reports that officials think the remains could point to a major building site commissioned by Ramses II. That is a possibility to investigate, not a confirmed description of what once stood there. ²

The location is also important to the ongoing work of understanding the area’s past. Euronews reports that archaeologists are investigating how the finds fit into the history of the Nile Delta site. More excavation and study will be needed to explain the statues’ original setting and what other structures, if any, were nearby. ³

Ramses II ruled ancient Egypt from 1279 to 1213 BCE, according to the report on the discovery. The fragments therefore provide evidence of royal imagery associated with his reign, while leaving open questions about the local history of the monument. ²

What is still uncertain about the statues?

The reports do not say exactly when the statues were made, how they came to be buried, or what building they belonged to. They also do not establish that the second statue depicts Ramses II; it is described as a likely possibility. ¹²³

The biblical connection in some headlines needs care. Ramses II is sometimes linked by scholars to the pharaoh in the Exodus story, but the discovery reports do not present the statues as evidence that confirms that connection. The find is archaeological evidence about royal statues and their location, not proof of a biblical event. ¹

As of October 29, 2026, the public reports describe an ongoing investigation. Readers can follow updates from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities or established reporting on the excavation. ¹³